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Laptop-less, but a survivor

Published June 18, 2007 Uncategorized Closed
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It’s hard to imagine being without my laptop. If you own a laptop, and had to be without it (not by choice) – you’ll understand. My ThinkPad T41 is 3 years old in August, and he’s been giving me some problems for some time.. Most were minor (USB related stuff), that had little effect on my daily work, but for the past 2-3 weeks it’s getting worse.. It got stuck coulpe of times, resulting in an abrupt shutdown, using a long press on the power button..
I’ve lost sound as well, on speakers and headphones..

So I had to put it away.. for our tech support..

It’s only been 3 days now, without emails (Lotus Notes 8), IM (Sametime 7.5.1), my 35GB of WPLC related data – and it’s hard.. I do have my favorites at del.icio.us, and used Gmail from time to time, but it’s just not the same.. Google Reader kept me in sync with my feeds, but being away from my data was just too hard. And although many collaboration softwares are available (from IBM and others), I realized I just didn’t use them as much as I like.

Only today I had to give a presentation about Web 2.0 at IBM, using Lotus SW, to a large customer. I realized that all my files are stored on my hard-disk, and I have no remote access to them. There is a security issue, obviously, in putting personal data on a shared spcae, but there are many examples out there of how to make resources available online, shared as well as private.

So, my (new) resolution after this short laptop-less experience is to make a better use of Lotus collaboration software, so I’ll have most of my HOT materials available online, regardless of location and device…

BTW, my laptop is fine – new motherboard, and we’re back to business..

Getting to know the portfolio, web 2.0 style

Published June 12, 2007 Uncategorized Closed
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I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately, in preparation for my new role. There’s plenty of stuff available at the external software website, and obviously at our internal site, but in the spirit of web 2.0 I’ve been doing some free search, to find out what going outside, with the customers and users.
IBM Lotus Sametime is IBM’s award winning instant messaging collaboration application, which allows for more than just chats.. you can web-conference, voice-conference (VoIP), share and much more – and there are over 15 million users worldwide.. not to mention the security it provides to the corporate business.
My free search also included YouTube (of course), and even there I found this excellent overview video, showcasing Sametime.

There’s also this video about IBM’s latest application in the collaboration era, called Lotus Connections. 5 services in 1 applications, which allows total collaboration for the enterprise.

New challenges ahead

Published June 8, 2007 Uncategorized Closed
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It has been quite a week for me, over at work..
For the past 2 years now I have been leading the local IBM Forum team, which serves as the customer and technology center for IBM and its business partners.
Starting July 1st I’ll be responsible for Workplace, Portal and Lotus Collaboration (or WPLC) sales at IBM Software Group. Needless to say I’m very excited about this.

WPLC is not such a diverse field, with Lotus Domino and Notes, Workplace, Lotus Sametime and Websphere based Portal, but it’s highly innovative, and allows for excellent collaboration within the business. Not to mention that WPLC includes almost 50 different products that gives you a wide range of choice, when it comes to building your knowledge platform.

As you know it’s always good to take advantage of technology, so I did some searching using my Google Reader and Google Homepage to find some Notes bloggers. And I found a lot…
So, for my first (and un-official) post at WPLC, here are some bloggers you might want to read. I know I’d like to meet them as well…
Ed Brill, Mary Beth Raven, Alan Lepofsky, developerWorks’ Inside Lotus, Chris Pepin and Rob Novak. There are many many more – drop me a line if you read something you like..

Mobile-less – courtesy of US Embassy

Published June 5, 2007 Uncategorized Closed
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Like any other, I like to keep my options open – so, when I saw my US visa is about to expire in couple of months, I started the (long, yet organized) process of renewing it.
In the past (10 years ago) you didn’t even have to attend in person… your travel agency could do it for you. No more. Post 9/11, every Visa is carefully monitored, especially if you’re coming from the middle east.
I’ll start by saying that the entire process is well organized. At least of you’re not afraid of technology. You just go to the US Visa Application site, and all forms are available there, online. After paying $12 for a user name, you can choose the date/time you wish to come, then fill out the required forms, take 2 5×5 photos (on white background), pay an additional $100 fee and you’re all set. Just come to the US Embassy on time. I’m not sure what people without internet connection are doing, or people with certain web-phobia, but I guess there’s a solution for them as well. Why the long intro?
Because the Embassy has some very strict security rules, one of them is that you can’t enter the Embassy with electronic devices. Any device – cellphone, mp3 player, laptop, camera, nothing. you leave everything at the entrance, and collect it when you’re done.
So – I had the luxury of being 3 hours without my cellphone. At first, it was a bit awkward – there was a very long line, couple of them actually, and I automatically reached for my pants to get the phone out – send sms, surf wap, play some games, check my meetings for the afternoon, etc – but there was nothing there.. 🙁 After a while, I learned it’s not that bad. I communicated, verbally, with my girlfriend, face-to-face, instead of sms-ing all day.. I could just smile at her, without giving her a 🙂 face on the text message.. analog communication… wow.. it’s still working.
You should try it sometime – leave your phone at home (by ‘accident’), turn it off – start small, like 2-3 hours. You’ll come to see it’s not the end of the world, and not much has happened while you were mobile-less.. If anything, you gained some quality time with your important someone…

BTW – in case you’re wondering, my Visa was approved, after 2.5 hours of waiting in line, 4 minute documentation verification, 2 minute fingerprint session and 4 minute interview with a member of the US Embassy. Now my options are open, again.

How to work a room…

Published June 3, 2007 Uncategorized Closed
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In my current role I attend 3-5 events a month, keeping the relationship with business partners and looking for new opportunities. I find myself in a spot sometime, when I can’t find the correct method to approach a colleague. I guess some of you have had a similar problem, often called ‘social networking’, a.k.a how to work a room…
For just that purpose Susan RoAne has published a new book, the (secret) art of schmoozing II, How to Work a Room: Your Essential Guide to Savvy Socializing.
Guy Kawasaki asked her for some pointers, and she gave him her top ten tips (read them here)

I particularly liked the first point (Think Analogue, not Digital) – which reminds us all that we are dealing with people, not computers. Remember that.
Another important tip is making small talk. I often see/hear colleagues going straight for the business-talk, and that wrong.. If you’re coming to an event, you want to have some fun, and some business. So break the ice with small talk, about interests you have in common, and then you’ll see how the business part is going much smoother… do some research before each event, read blogs, papers, online articles, magazines – it will come handy..
And last but not least – Listen, Listen, Listen. People aren’t talking to hear themselves. They talk for you to listen and respond. Pay attention to what they say – otherwise, you’re just rude.

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Mobile & Media Consultant. I help startup companies launch products to the consumer market. Reach out: dvir.reznik [at] gmail.com
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This is my personal blog. The postings here do not represent the thoughts, intentions, plans or strategies of my past employers or of my clients. It is solely my opinion.